by Scott Cassel, CEO and Founder
This past December, the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) and the Oklahoma Meds and Sharps Disposal Committee (OMSDC) kicked off a six-month pilot program to increase the safe collection and disposal of medical sharps in Oklahoma. Through the program, residents can drop off or mail back used medical sharps at multiple sites throughout the state for free. A few months in, the program is already seeing tremendous progress — a testament to the vital need for more robust infrastructure and education to deal with used syringes, needles, and lancets.
So far, the collection rate at several program sites has exceeded expectations, with Stop Harm on Tulsa Streets (SHOTS) and the City of Stillwater requesting pickup of collected sharps two months ahead of schedule due to an influx of residents safely disposing of their medical sharps. Another sign of the program’s progress is that most sites have distributed almost all at-home containers and will be ordering more soon. SHOTS has also been invited to collect sharps at a household hazardous waste drop-off event on March 5 in Tulsa.
The success of the take-back program is due to effective outreach by site partners and other members of the OMSDC, not to mention media attention. So far, the program has garnered national and local coverage from multiple news sources such as Waste Today, KJRH Channel 2 News Oklahoma, the Tahlequah Daily Press, and the Oklahoma State University Extension. Plus, the Oklahoma Recycling Association highlighted the program in a Facebook Live. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) also recently released a video promoting the program.
The significance of the program is twofold: not only does it provide convenient options for residents, in doing so it also protects public health and the environment. Improper disposal of medical sharps poses severe health and safety risks for families, sanitation workers, hospitality workers, and many others, in addition to polluting local parks, streets, and waterways. Nationwide, 7% of needles are flushed, and an estimated 3 billion sharps enter the municipal solid waste stream each year as trash.
“Most of us don’t have to think about medical sharps,” said Lelande Rehard, PSI’s senior associate for policy and programs. “But if you use sharps, are a frontline recycling/waste employee, work in public health, or coordinate regular litter cleanups, then you understand the importance of tackling this small but difficult material. The safe disposal of medical sharps is an environmental, safety, and social justice issue.”
PSI is already working on plans to expand the take-back program to new sites in the future. In particular, PSI is eager to create sharps collection sites in Native Nations and is pursuing funding to do so. Safe sharps disposal infrastructure in Native Nations is sparse despite the disproportionate number of Native Americans with diabetes — who likely use sharps — compared to white residents.
The current six-month take-back program continues to run now through mid-May 2022 or as long as supplies last. For more information about the program and where to safely dispose of medical sharps, visit bit.ly/OKsharpspilot.
The pilot is supported by a solid waste management grant from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.